The Sun. — London, England, 1810-12-07 00:00:00

i P t i - ry, because that enthu i siasm which a'u Engl;shinan ''ta - jrisCy feels at the recbil;etion pf this event, ap ; 1 Nears to have 'winced some considerate and reason- 11 1 it men s to wish that we should' not only ,adrpt the I pading principles of that tiansaction-,4principleSio :hich'We 4 cannot too oftvti recur -- but th'e . we hold alSo adhere to the exact forms of those pro eedings, in points In which they appear to me by lo means to apply to the circumstances, of the ;resents se — SVitti this view it' has been proposed •. , 9 1.13, not as a duty resulting ,from any princtple . of aw, in which light I have already considered . it, but i; a point of- expediency, that we should copy the , - )recedent of the revolution, by addressing the Prince • at Wales, to take 7 , upon hini the Royal authority; and that we should then proceed, with his conctir tence and consent, to the establishment ot, such li mitations as the .circumstances may appear to re- Inire: - • 4' But in order to see how clearlyethiS example is in applicable to the present cate,' we have only to ex amine what 'was the nature of. that necessity miler which our' ancestors were:compelled- to a6t!at that mamorable period. They were to 'supply the va eaecy of the throne, occasioned by the forfeiture of_ a Sovereign, 'who had violated the fimdarneetal law:s, and had labouijed to subvert the'constitution and religion of his kingdoms: They were. to pro vile for the immediate administration , of the go vernment which -he had abdicated;• and which would otherwise have fallen into utter and irretriev able confusion. ' ilot they had another and a More ,iroportant duty , which they owed to thetnSelVes mid-to their posterity e and in - the dischar"g„e of which they , hazarded every - consideration orperSonal iti terest, and personal safety. The preservation of our laws, religion,- and liberties, had rendered it necessary for them to drive their Sovereign into' ex ile. A sill , stronger necessity required ' tlliatAhey should . effetenally provide agninst the‘revival of that inauipiciourisysrern• which he had 'pursued ; and that they establish the r new gOvernment on such- a rise and - Solid teundation, "that he might neser afterwards tee lb ae,i!uation •to ee-assume his authorityead- reveng,t4'-hlinsell on -those who had ,- o:'t fovivardi tre'oisti , ;)Setillis tyranny; and to seize some more ittrou'rab , :e iipi)Ortuttily for deSiiOyn e e'the - consfitutionY:and overthrowing the religion 'of the c,ouatry.; , Und-'r surer circtirrettances aat . tieseeth , ':re was-but one itep that Could' he taken Fernpriety or salet-'. To pee:tile/Crews.) immediately, with all its full power, • prerogatives; and'atiihority, on the head Of , tile incA of Orange, the only' person' who _could, byllia' wisdom of his councils, and 'the vigoureof his arms; deft.ret the nation against any' atteitptsee WheAer origiearing at home-or abroad, to rebtbreithe former Sov,«lreigii to the exercise of ari authority wri - ich he bad so justly forfeited. If- we ;compare these transaesitins win cur pre= sentesituaeion; shall see t hat they hate ' but one point:in cemirion ;'namely, the 'right and duty of the [..ordseand Commons to provit!e legislatively for those cases where the concurrence of the, three braucles of the Legislature 'cannot otherwise be obtained._ But that with -respect tb the' particular ciretsmstances of this day, the necessity which com pels -us to' ;10, and by which our mode of acting must be reaulated, has no relation to that which existed at the Restoration, and is in every material circumstance opposed to t:iar of the 4evolatidn. The duty which is now incumbent upon us is not, as in she first -rase, that of putting a King into the imniediate possession of an authority which has de volr'ed upon him by the course of inheritance, aro the,li m its of wleelt are c;early ascertained by the existing, laws ; but it is that of Cleating a new and delegated trust, to be exercised for a temporary pur r-se, and to be vested in an office unkuowar to the constitution of the country. Nor are we, as in the other case, called upon to supply a vac.tucy in-tlie throne, by the eleclion of a Sovereign, or to preserve our laws and liberties, by placing the sceptre in thoSe hands most likely to maintain it against its former possessor. We are to consider by w hat, person, in what form, and with what degree of authority, it- may be proper that the government of this country should be administered, during the continuance of the indisposition of our Sovereign,-, and how it may be restored to him, without delay or difficulty, immediately upon the happy event of his recovery. In deliberating upon this subjea, weshould always bear in mind, that the throne is not vacant, but lull;- that it is filled by a Monarch whose virtues liave justly endeared him to his people; and whose speedy, restoration to his health is not only the er\d to which all our wishes and 'prayers are directed, .but is also an ohjeet of ra- . tional aid well-founded hope., Instead, therefore, of hastening, as at the 'Revolution, in create and to strengthen , a power, .which may effeaually prevent Iris re-assuming the government, we are bound by every consideration of allegiance to him, and of Con cern tor our country; to adopt a line, precisely the reverse of this. We are bound to.consider well the natureof our situation, and the consequences of our conduel, and to weigh the etfeCts of every separate step* we take, before we canted ourselves at liberty to give into other hands any portion of the supreme ana.sosereige authority of these kingdoms. - • It is, indeed, an ariluous and awful 'duty which is 'imposed upon- us by this kalarnitye The guardian ship.ot the; rights of our Sovereign, the care and pre . — servation of his lust pterogative.s e have, 'under the affeeling circumstances of the present moment, de volved upon the repiesentatives of his faithful. peo pie. We should certainly not be unmindful of this .sacred trust, even if, we were animated .only 'by our feelings towards him; to whom we are bound not oely 'by the ties of dwy and allegiance, but also by those of national attachment arid national gratitude., Butif we wanted an additional inducement to the discharge of such a duty:, it would arise from this consideration, that we cannot in this instance, be wanting to our Sovereign, without being in The same degree wanting to the, most essental interests 'of, our constituents and our country. We are at tached, and ‘Ve,have infinite reason to be so, to that part of the 'British constitution, by which the CroWn of these kingdoms is declared to be het cdhary. The 4nischiels of a contrary form of gov.erntnent are so universally known and acknowledged, that 'it would be ntrpardonabie to, waste the time of the Commit tee, by. a welling on such e e topic. But let it be re manbered, that. every argtiment which can be used . . .. . . in fivour of hereditary monari,•:h 1' , applicS with greater force to the maintenaoceot t,:s ntopo . ,,Otion, which is es?zniiarrfa peof _the same principle, thlt during the life of theg.Sdvereig he cannot, except by . his • own miscone 440 a,, be di estel:' h 4. constitutional autherifyo. :All t•lit , -confu 'orfi'di•cort - -a - nd anarchy, k i which are inseparable from the institutions; of an elective kingdom, would unquestionably be found to exist..in, a still greater' de -if there could be supposed a country wt - ere the Soveteign was liable, by reason of any teinpuriry disability, to be remov ed from-his exalted situation, and to make I.vay for his fuccessor. . -And it is IA ell NiAor.illy of ' , our consi deration, that the -more strongly we recognize the right_ Of in-heritance to the Crownrin the event of a , deMise, the more essential it becomes to guard, with the utmost jealousy, again the admission .of 'any principle which leads to the assertion of such a right when.there is no demise, and.against the adoption •of any measure which plight' afford the means of superseding the King:s authority during his life, under the name and influence of that-person on, whom his Crown would in the,Course of nature le gally devol- e - In touching upon this tart of the subject, how . - eVer strongly I may feel and expiess,i he:necessity of prOvidirig the fullest security fur the permanent authority of the - King,- l'itta •I shall not be . c.onsi-; deted as casting any imputation upon the charac er of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales.. I think 'myself' bound to argue ihis question upon very. dif ferent grounds. If , there be any one circumstance Whioh-serves•above all others as a land•mark, to dis tinguish, and at Vie same tune to maintain,, the . boundaries between a free and an arbitrary GoVern• ment, it is thisi. that its despotic countries, what ' ever complaints •tre made-against existing grievances, whatever precautions are suggested 'against the repe 7 tition of fornier evils,' whatever . s.:.curilies . are de= sired against-the farther progress of, oppression, are • considered as so many personal. refLctions '-on. -the" character of the Noce, in whom resides the -whdle 'power and-authority o f th e Country. - 'ln these king doms-we have established it as a princi* of our ConstiMtioni r . that the first executive Magistrate has . no personal share in the misconduct- •of, his GoVero 7 ment—And it is' not oiily our right as,Piglishmen_ to discuss these. points in , a niannetdiStinbt from any consideration of the charabter of the Sovereign, - but as Members of :his House it isufade our duty so - to - do, oy the 1-oshit e laws 'acid institutions of Parlia • tnent. I-sh,;:!, therefore, - not enter here into any pnegyric on los Royal Highness, because it_ would be foreign from the - View v , ...1ix1i 'I . entertain of the 'present subject„ and because I thipk that in this Curmnittee. it .would be' extremely misplaced: I NI uit i on the 'other hand, desii:" it to lie understood, that the dingee.against whiCh I think irnecessary to, 'uar , i,. and _the precautions which 'I wish to be adodt-t'd for t hat purpose,-- have no personal reference to Itis'Aopl. Highness; but' are gr,:unded on this suppositiOn, on which we' have always proceeded witnrespeCt 'to our Sovereigns themselVes, that they May possibly be misled by the councils of men who May abuse their' confidence. And I ardsure it must be: telt, that unless we are at liberty so to argue, we shall have sacritmed t 6 ealpty compliments all the most important functions of Parliament, both now aad hereafter. - . _ - (To be continucd.l CITY BUSINESS. Yesterday the LORD MAYOR held his first Court of Common Coupcii, which was tiumerously attetid ed, and hr, Lordship, as usual, addressed Ow Court in an appropriate speech. -Mr. bep;ity - P1&11ER, the senior Member of the Common Council, moved a vote of Thanks from the Court to tie late LoRD MAYOR, which was unanimously agreed to, and ordered to 4e orpambilt ally written on vellum, framed, and ghzed, and pre sented'Ao his It was iu the following terms : Resolved unanimously—That the Thanks of this Court be given to the Right lion. Thomas Smith, late Lord Mayor of this City, foe his untemitted and impartial administration of jusfice, for his vigilant and active g , ,vernment of the Po lice, and for the prompt measures he has adopted for pie serving the. peace Of f his City, whenever , necessaryt For the liberal hospitality and splendid munificence which he has constantly displayed through the whole of his Mayor, alty, and the respect he has uniformly shewn to this Court, and every individual Member of it. • For his readiness in convening this Court, and tbr , his im partiality and marked attention to every Member, when superintending the debates and business thereof. For the tree - access he has allitrded at all time's, not. only to the Members of this Court, but to' his fellow Citizens at , large, and for his having maintained and preserved the rights and privileges of the Citizens, and the honour anti dignity of his exalted station unimPen . rcd._ The usual allowance.of a purse of nifty guineas was unanimously voted to the Rev. •AIANLEY WOOD, to lie late,Loan MAYOIL . , ,• • ; All L LTJA. Mr. WAITHIVIAN liionzht up the Report of the Committee apPointed to examine the Militia Regu fit ions, I' , sinus to his. presenting it. He stated that the Cbminittee had most attentively conOdered the subject, and had agreed that it was expedient tope- , Parliament ,o enable ,them to do amay the Mi litia. Acts." He. represented that the Militia system of the City was carried on at an enormous expellee, and that no practical benefit n suited from it, the •annual exrndiatre being- 50,0001. independent of the Trophy Tax. • The excess over the actual Money expended, no in- - considerabie sonw.vas applied to what was termed a regimental stock-pulse, over which, in the Western regiment, the Field Officers had a controul, but which, in the Eastern regiment, cowmanthd by j Sir John Earner, was wholly at his waren'. In the Coalibittees endeavours to ascertain the amount and application of this regimental stock-purse,. they coulcliet no information or even answer from that Commander. He had never accounted for either; there was in his bands, at that moment ; a large sum, which in place of being reserved for pi i vate etnolument, ought to be' applicable for pubic purposes. In the way in which tliese regiments write recruited, the greatest malversa‘ion was practis ed. The sum levied upon the , Wards was seven guineas for every recrnit, whilst it was proved to the Committee that men were •obtained for halt that money, and in some cases only a guinea was given. Many wore the instances where men for whom se ven guineas were charged ,to the Wards, were almost.. i • , imMediatiy discharged, as unhealthy and ineura ' hie; and the Ward..called uptan again- to :supply Such a'defiCiency. ft was now:'more than iwelive years ago; that lie (Mr:Waithman) had pledged himself - in that. Court to„ptove that this shameful syStem had existed.' 'lnstead of being suffered to proceed in' the investigation, he was menaced and Calumniated.' Every ityPutation of disatfeciion and disloyhley'WeTe - 6341.609n1nM, but in the course of time he had the , self•gratificiation to find that every charge. he then made, every abuse against which lie complained, were now .proed, by undeniable evi-, dence before the Conimittee- to have 'existed.— Shameful as was the management relative. to the' details of these. regiments, it was not less so to the• -, ‘olleation of - the Trophy Tax upon the Citizens of ,London. By the , .A.6l of Parliament, regulating the collection and appropriation of that tax, it was di "i-ehly. pronounced, that the Magistrates, at the Quarter. Sessions, should-adt as a controul ; but the Court would duly appreciate Ge nature .oft that controjl, when they learnt, that of the number. of Magistrates who .generally attenkd • the Sessions for that purpose, the great majority were members of the Court of. Lieutenancy; and Many of 'them • actddly. Officers in, these regiments' of militia.. In fief, the Act of Parliament had I:ten violated in altuost every provision. The.arrears of the Ttophv Tax, even on their own shewing, amounted to Vipol. 'but' it was evident that they,were in arrears to the Citlzens'of London to theamount of 83001 He would not say that from the manner in which these accounts were passed in the Court of Common Council, that tbose 'who certified them were guilty-of a viol ition,ot their oath, but he would ever contend that they had pradis, d a gross and ct iminal deception. But what • was that'in comparison to the injustice with wh;ch theCitizeos of London were treated ? yearaftei year ,i../ ... ereNt hey Called upon lo pay their rophy Tax, although there was al this moment an arrear in-their 4avotir. of . 'kjobl. - For his. ()wit p4rt hi would 'ever contend that under such ,circumstances it ought not ,to be levied. • Under such iinp i e s •i on he gave notice to the Recorder of his intention to attend At the Quarter Sessions, • and to oppose that liart of the accounts being passed. Reverting to the continuance of these two . .regiments, the Commit tee 'carneloan• opinion that no radical good ha.! or could result froin them. They had akeady cost the country more than half a million of' sum 'commensurate with •the revenue of shot great ; and extensivelnetropoliS. They were, in 'Lief, of more expence 'from a variety of causes than. any Other 'regiment of militia in• the country, or in deed, than any regiment of the line. It !was * in stroducina , info the heart of the ci t y a h ost of fop, reigners; for there was scarce a citizen 'or inhabitant among them, in opposition t o the laudable jealousy of our forefathers,'which induced them lo cornmit their defence to their own citizens. This was a policy to which, in all their charters they most te 7 naciously adhered. It was a policy worthy of their successors, and its application'in the present case, was justified, inasmuch as the i nt r o d t i e ti on of such an useless force into the city led only to the multiplica tion of crimes and offences. There was another fad communicated ha him to which the' Report did not allude, but upon the authenticity of which he could rely, which was, that during the mayoralty of Sir R. Carr Glyn, an application' Was made to Mr. Pitt for • five thousand - pounds, for the use of these regi ments ; that the sum was received, and remained until this day unpaid. As this Report contained much matter for serious investigation; as it was probable future heavy charges would arise from it, it was his, wish to affird time for a full consider,. ation of the contents of the Report. He, hoWever, felt the necessity of haying it proMptly circtilated amongst the members of their Court, and for that purpose expressed his intention.of moving, that Mr. Nichols should have the printing of it ; and that the , Lord i'tlayor shOuld be requeSted to call a Court on as Speedy a' day as possible after the Report was priiited, and that the nature of the motion should be inserted in the summons., The Report was then received, and Mr. 'Waith 'man made motions for the purposes Mentioned.' Mr. 'DixoN felt, happy to second the motion for. full tiine i Being allowed the Members of the. Court to consider .so long a Report, and to mike up their minds upon so many and so serious charges. / Mr. Alderman HUNTER staled, that he bad not been in the Court when the first part of the report relative to the' Militia Regiments .had, been read; but in looking over it, he found that some things - were said to have 'taken place to his 'knowledv. He wished now JO declare that he did not' know them, and this he would prove at a future oppor tunitya, The Special Committee, appointed to consider' of r the best Mode 'of carrying into effect the Resoln— tion of the last. Court, for a Statue of his'Majesty, to be ereEted in the Common Council ChaMber, presented a Report, recommending _the upper 'end,. of that. Room as a fit place for the same ; which, aliersorne debate,' Was agreed to, and .the Commit, tee •iere instructed to advertise for models or &Signs `from such artists:as were desirous of executing' the same. Ott'a Report f r om the . : Thames Navigation Com mittee, the Coart referred it to ' , them to consider the best means to be adopted for effe&ually oppos. trig the several proposed 'plans for making cuts, canals, &c. ‘v.hieh, if' obtained, would entirely ,di vett: the trade from.the River Thames. - STOCIS THIS DAY A r TWIC,LVI o'bcocK. Consols - - 674 Steil. Ann. -661 i I: I - I 1 . .) N. SULEM QUl4 ' l.l , l • Cik £ PALSUM AUDEAT ? L IV 1) 0 . FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1810. 4 . Windsor Ca i stle; Dec. 7; aro. " His . MAJE3TY:S indisposition increased through the day, yesterday; but he has had some bolus sleep 1 1 in the night, and is Letter this morning." Signed as usual. We_have,tbis day extraEte'd from .tle 23 , 1 - 47 . iiieur tirade aglinst the En r ;lish, for their eondual in Por tugal ; and 11111CS3 we are very much mistaken, it the prod' uaion of BuoN-ArAtrr2. We have been so long accustomed to the` misrepresentations and the falsehood's of the Mohite4r, that in ge• they ex cite no"ollier sensation - but tint of contetr,pt but .there are some pas , Kiges in the article to. :Which we are - alluding, 'winch seem as'. if they were • tended . to 'put human patience. to the severest test. It is really too. 'much to hear BUONAPAMTE i (that man whose single ambition has kept the world in a state of misery for . the last ten years, and whose cruelty: is pr6'erbial) accuse this Ctuntry and our General and army in . Portugal, .of wart ,humanity. BUONAPARTE affeEts to feel for the sufferings of ;the Portuguese and of the Spaniard S-- • whO occasioned 'them'?. Did he not treacherously in- 't yade both' these countries, in a 'time of pro jimnd •peace; and has he nor desolated them, :and .l mofdered the inhabitants Withntit rnerCy,. be cause they have resisted hiS usurpation ?, And yet he 'has the effrontery, in the face of Europe, to accuse the'Britisfrarmy of the miseries which:the: , 'People of the Peninstilo, and of Portugal ib parti- 1 . 'cul.or; endure. Why are there at this moment a French and ,a British army in Portugal ? The for , mer *ere sent by - an unprincipled invader to .con quer- the country, notOithstanding all the conces sions and all the sacrifices of the .Partuguese ithe latter has heen sent, in cot? pliance... with' the most solemn treaties to support an old and faithful . ally. But he says the Portuguese hate the English, and of course they ,love the French. It is nut long since we were told, from French official authority, titat • _ dhe English had contrived to fmatacize the.Pot tugliese,‘ • and to e7.a3perate them . against their- . -good friends the Fr;:...ncli - ; the evidence of, facis, however, is infinitely better than asse rt i ons . B uo - N,s,pArt•rn- says, the Portuguese Army and Militia . are disctutented. We Should be glad to •knOw • if the former sheaved any symptonis of tits content at the battle : or Busaeo; or if - the latter strewed any disposition' . to favour -the r(Ftench cause when they attaeled • COimbra; and. : took five thousand Frenchmen prisoners. The- , situation," he says, " of the Eng.li3h . is alarming ;• ,• they are_ only 30,000 at ,most ; 'hy their ,40,000 . • discontented Portuguese soldieri ; 'behind • theM are 100,000-tatigeds fri despair, and the int tnense population of Lisbon." Indeedi then hoc ,came cieneral MA SSZNA, the most celebrated of the French Generals, to remain with above 60,000 men insight of this little English army (which was,sur ro-unded by enemies, and in a most alarming conditi„n) .from the Bth OdOber to the 14th November, I,vithout , daring to attack it, and finally to retreat, before it ? . • how happen s it that the Portugue se militia, - I t nstPa.‘4 A of displaying 'y) much bravery and perseverince against the French have •not joined their ranks d t° assist in expelling the English ? We 'might put many more such questions, and we shoula thittli that they must occur even to the People of France • bnt whatever they may think, they 'd are not s p e . i k • if EU(MAPARTE cannot make them believe ever', thing he chuses . to assert, he 'has taken effel.l- 131 means to prevent them from contradicting him. A warrant has been issued by the Lords of the - Treasury for perrhiiting all goods warehoused under the general Warehousing Act, to remain warehoused Without payment of duty,' until The Ist 61 June, 1811; on fresh bonds being given by the parties who' take tne benefit of their Lordships' indulgence, at the expiration of- the period for which their respec tive goods were originally purchased, and for which bonds have alt eady been given. Application' having - been made by the Contractors for the late Loan, and the twitters of Othrnum, 1 ° the.Dtrectorsot the Bank, fur a postposernent of the perio4 fixed for the redemption of the 0m4 03 which 'had been Pledged, this request, we tinder' stand, has been complied with, and we are inforni ,_ed, that, in the answer retur n ed to t h e G ent l e men of the Stock Exchange, the tollowing days 1 1 ; 1 ` e been appointql.ior.paytnent of the Josiah - limits On theist of February 3o Per. Cent, On the istkof February 33 per Cent. , On the t tfi of March — 40 per Cent. , The day originally' fixed for the redemption vc'a.. the 27th of January. Skidda-x, the mountain pride of Curnberland,,an di the admiration of numerous visitors from ail parts. of T . the United Kinffdom, was sat on Wcdnestly, tb t/ i'st . 114. I . (zr Ira: hum of 1,9701. The 1 , uic 13354 comprises 1,732 acres. Santarem, to which MASSENA. has retired, is a town of Portugal,- in the prOviliee of Estrernldur.a! on the Tagus, anciently called Scalahis ; .dvicrided by a citadel. It contains 13 churches, 13 convents, veral hospitals, and an acadeiiiy of history, aritiqu ties, and languages, institwed in the year I 7 , 1.7.-c -- Several Kings of Portukal . gept their Conti there. I" the . year 1146, this town Was.taken by the I VIC;()r5. In the year 1184, the King of Portugal obtained there a -glorious victory, when the whole f or ce of the . Moors, commanded by their Kink (Josarn), W:: 15 entirely routed, without : fig,h! ing, the King beio4 killed by a fail from his horse, just as the battle bei gun ; they immediately qu i tted th e field, and f i t"' r most of them returning into Africa. The ntullu e f • of inhabitants is 13000—.-13 leagues N. N. ° Lisbon. 1.